Guide to Necromancer Grafts

By Polkadots

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Below are some of the situations you may have to deal with in your life as a Necromancer. All of the below suggestions are based on the RARE versions of the grafts. After all, you should be shooting to have the best pet in every situation. When you check the regional broker, you want to check for these grafts.

Necromancer Grafts Soloing with Pet as DPS Solo with Pet as Tank Grouped with Healer but No Tank Grouped with Tank Pet as Off-Tank Pet vs. Mobs with Negligible Damage Pet in PvP Pet in Raids Heroic Grafts Conclusion

I. Soloing with Pet as DPS

This is your typical grinding setup for an open area. Your pet acts as an additional DoT. You want him to do as much damage as possible yet not steal aggro (if you're not Fear kiting). All grafts do the same damage over x period of time (when comparing similar tiers and quality), so there is no need to have a Devastation Claw. In fact, I use a Plagued Claw. I find the Devastation Claw + Sundering Fist to be a ton of up front damage, and this is usually enough for the pet to steal aggro, causing your grind session to be far less efficient.

Claw	Fist	Legs	Skin	Backbone
Plagued Claw	Sundering Fist	Legs of the Colossus	Xakrin Skin	Backbone of Might

II. Solo with Pet as Tank

Here is an example when you are solo and your pet has to tank. Perhaps you are in a tight space, running quests in dungeons. This setup is for those areas where your pet is sustaining major damage and it's an issue for you to keep him alive. In this case, the defensive setup buys you more time.

Claw	Fist	Legs	Skin	Backbone
Draining Claw	Fist of the Stirge	Umbral Legs	Match resists for casters or use Xakrin Skin	Backbone of Fortitude (casters) or Thick Backbone

III. Grouped with Healer but No Tank

This setup is similar to the above, but in this case keeping your pet alive with heals isn't an issue. Perhaps he isn't taking any damage. Here I would use huge DD items (claw + fist) to take aggro and use Sneer plus the continued damage to keep aggro.

Claw	Fist	Legs	Skin	Backbone
Claw of Devastation	Sundering Fist	Legs of the Colossus	Xakrin Skin	Backbone of Might

IV. Grouped with Tank

Group setup; again, I don't go with a huge fist / claw setup because you want the tank to have aggro. Why worry about your pet when you can be doing more DPS?

Claw	Fist	Legs	Skin	Backbone
Plagued Claw	Sundering Fist	Legs of the Colossus	Xakrin Skin	Backbone of Might

V. Pet as Off-Tank

This is for those times when you need your pet to off-tank and CC isn't a possibility (RI for example). Damage is an issue and anything that buys you more time (plus keeps aggro off you) is the best bet. You can go for all out damage to keep aggro off you, but a defensive pet is a better choice. You can FD to remove aggro and your party can always heal you. Good luck getting a healer to heal your pet.

Claw	Fist	Legs	Skin	Backbone
Draining Claw	Fist of the Stirge	Umbral Legs	Match resists for casters or use Xakrin Skin	Backbone of Fortitude (casters) or Thick Backbone

VI. Pet vs. Mobs with Negligible Damage

Same as before. These are for zones where your pet isn't sustaining heavy damage. In NN for example, any adds you cannot CC can be debuffed. Once debuffed, the damage versus your pet is nothing. You can easily keep your pet up in these situations. I'd use a heavy damage setup to keep aggro on the pet.

Claw	Fist	Legs	Skin	Backbone
Claw of Devastation	Sundering Fist	Legs of the Colossus	Xakrin Skin	Backbone of Might

VII. Pet in PvP

This is up for debate as I don't PvP. Personally all out damage seems to be the way to go. Only issues I have here are on the legs. Most people don't focus on the pet, but if a snare type class did snare or root your pet, they would render your pet useless. I hear he dies fast anyway in PvP, though, so perhaps damage is the way to go. Either way, the below is your best setup; of course, you can make the decision about which legs to use. Damage vs snare / root immunity is your call and changes depending on the situation.

Claw	Fist	Legs	Skin	Backbone
Claw of Devastation	Sundering Fist	Legs of the Colossus (damage)/ Legs of Escaping (vs. root/snare)	Xakrin Skin	Backbone of Might

VIII. Pet in Raids

This setup is for raids once they go live. When AE damage is an issue, you will not want to spend 10 seconds casting a new pet. You also don't want to focus on healing your pet. You want to maximize your DPS. If your pet can stay alive on his own or only costs you minimals heals, then you're set. Once I am able to raid a bit more, I will edit this to what does work in practice, as opposed to theory.

Claw	Fist	Legs	Skin	Backbone
Draining Claw	Fist of the Stirge	Legs of the Colossus	Xakrin Skin	Backbone of Fortitude

IX. Heroic Grafts

• Claw of the Zull - Best claw hands down. Not sure what drops it yet (speculation is warlord), but something in RI obviously. This would replace your claw in every circumstance above.
• Xakrin Skin - Found off God King in NN. He's easy enough to do, even in a PuG.
• Fist of the Pyramids - Drops off one of the 6 dot named in Abasami Lake NE of TT. Based on current numbers, this is a very nice life draining graft, but the Sundering Fists seem to be more DD. Once data on this fist is confirmed, it may end up being the fist of choice in every circumstance.

X. Conclusion

Most of this information is common sense, but hopefully it gives you an idea of what grafts to hold on to and what to sell / decon (yes they can be deconstructed). I didn't bother going over hearts as they aren't currently dropping. If you can get a Heart of Blood Bonding (10% damage - Life Transfer) then thats the way to go, hands down.

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